111: So long, 2021

111: So long, 2021

Author: The Japan Times December 29, 2021 Duration: 25:29
We hear from listeners about their high points in 2021.

There’s always more to the story than the headlines suggest. Deep Dive from The Japan Times goes beyond the surface, offering a richer, more nuanced look at the forces shaping contemporary Japan and its role in the world. Each episode is built on the trusted journalism of The Japan Times, but here the conversation expands. You’ll hear reporters and editors discuss the deeper context behind their articles, alongside candid interviews with experts, analysts, and people with firsthand experience. The discussions naturally span the interconnected realms of politics, economics, and social change, while also making room for the cultural currents-from film and literature to everyday life-that define the national mood. This isn’t a recap of the news; it’s an exploration of the ‘why’ and the ‘how.’ Tuning into this podcast means gaining a clearer understanding of complex issues, from demographic shifts and technological innovation to regional diplomacy and evolving artistic expressions. It’s for anyone curious about the intricate realities of a country often summarized in simple terms. The result is a thoughtful, informative listen that connects the dots between news, business, culture, and society, providing a comprehensive audio companion to one of the world’s most dynamic regions.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Deep Dive from The Japan Times
Podcast Episodes
169: One night out in Tokyo [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:24
As the last trains leave the central hubs of Shinjuku and Shibuya for the suburbs, much of the city heads home. However, Tokyo never sleeps. Economics reporter Elizabeth Beattie comes on the show to discuss a story she w…
168: Why is modernizing Japan so darn hard? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:24
Japan’s new My Number identification cards were supposed to be a step forward for digitalization. Instead, numerous errors now risk exposing just how backwards we still are. Politics reporter Gabriele Ninivaggi joins us…
167: Hayao Miyazaki’s confusing new masterpiece [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:18
Cinema buffs in Japan have been treated to a final gift from Hayao Miyazaki — a new film! Japan Times critics Thu-Huong Ha and Matt Schley discuss what they thought of “The Boy and the Heron.” Hosted by Thu-Huong Ha and…
166: A tale of two Fujis: Bullet climbs, crowds and Lizzo [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:44
Japan’s borders have opened to overseas tourists. That may be bad news for Mount Fuji, which is completely booked this summer, but it’s good news for Fuji Rock as the music festival pulls in some major international name…
163: Would you spend the night in a coffin … for art? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:14
Want to know what it’s like to spend the night in a coffin? Culture critic Thu-Huong Ha joins us to discuss her night in avant garde artist Marina Abramovic’s Dream House in central Japan and the conversation meanders in…
[Rebroadcast] Clutter, trash and hoarding disorder in Japan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:45
Deep Dive is off this week, but we will be back at the start of July with fresh episodes. While we're away, we're bringing you a rebroadcast of our episode with Alex K.T. Martin where he looks at what form compulsive hoa…
162: Things just got a bit tougher for asylum-seekers in Japan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:58
Japan has a notoriously bad reputation when it comes to accepting refugees, and some politicians and NGOs believe things just got worse. Politics reporter Gabriele Ninivaggi joins the show to discuss what’s new in a cont…
161: How the climate crisis is supercharging Japan’s rainy season [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:43
When you think of natural disasters do you think of earthquakes, volcanoes and typhoons? How about guerrilla rainstorms, landslides and heatwaves? As we approach the fifth anniversary of a major disaster that hit Hiroshi…